12 Perfect Ideas for a Year of Long-Distance Online Dates

A long-distance relationship is by no means easy, and sometimes being stuck with just online dates can be a challenge.

We get it. We’ve been there too!

You’re staring at a screen, wishing you were together. Forced to be apart because of distance. The best way to distract yourself from loneliness is with creative online dates that shake up your routine!

Stop the days from blurring together, and fill your year with engaging and exciting online dates that you both can enjoy while in a long-distance relationship.

We believe in sharing online dates that have been tested and proven to be fun, engaging, intimate, and memorable. So go ahead and try these dates in your long-distance relationship, and make some moments worth remembering.

At the end of the year, you can look back at all the memories you’ve made together with creative online dates even while apart.

January Online Date: Workout Together

As the first month of the year, many couples have set fitness goals that can work on together. Your resolutions for 2021 might include increasing your physical activity, or getting a head start on your summer body.

Maybe you’re like us, and looking to lose the Covid weight that snuck on during a year of quarantine snacks and working from home.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone. Long-distance couples can still get active together with the many online resources available, and by making it a regular part of their online dates.

For the perfect virtual workout date, follow these simple steps.

Choose a time that works for you both (and allow enough time for stretching before and after as well as a shower)
Get on your favorite activewear and set-up your webcam, allowing enough space for your workout.
Find a workout online to follow together, or follow an online Youtube tutorial. Many gyms also have live classes available that you can tune into for a full-body blast.
Keep this healthy habit going by setting a time for your next workout. Once a week is a great goal to keep yourselves active.

If you’re a competitive couple, maybe set some goals and see who can crush theirs first! Offer a prize for the winner as an incentive and hand out your well-earned rewards when you see each other next in person.

January is a perfect month to set some actionable goals together as a long-distance couple.

February Online Date: Candlelit Love Letter Writing

Valentine’s Day is a day when we all dream of being together with our loved ones, and especially in a long-distance relationship. Having romantic online dates together is easier than you might think.

Start planning now to give yourself the most romantic Virtual Valentine’s Day possible!

Send each other flowers or chocolates to remind your loved one they’re in your thoughts. It may feel cliché, but these little acts of love are a sweet way to show you care when you can’t be thoughtful in person.
Set aside an evening to be totally invested in each other, putting away all distractions like phones and social media.
Prepare a romantic meal together or order take-out to have a virtual night-in together through your screens.
Get dressed up together and light some candles to set an intimate and romantic mood.
Tell your loved one how you feel about them with a thoughtful love letter, written by hand and mailed with your scent. So many people dream of romantic snail mail, but never get the chance to receive a genuine love letter.
You can even write letters to each other live over a video call. This is very intimate and great for partners who appreciate words of affirmation.

This year make sure that your partner knows how much you appreciate them and have an online date sure to win over their heart.

March Online Date: Video Games or Online Board Games

Playful long-distance couples need playful long-distance online dates.

Check out our Top 5 Video Games for Long Distance Couples here.

Virtual Board games have become some of our favorite online date nights as a long-distance couple. When you only have a screen for your dates, being able to do an activity together makes us feel so much closer and more connected.

Add some snacks and a warm drink for the ultimate cozy online date night. This pairs perfectly with a rainy afternoon.

Here are the best games and ways you can have a board game night together while apart.

April Online Date: Garden Together & Plant Seeds For Summer

As someone who lacks the all-important green thumb, I recognize that this date idea might not appeal to everyone, but it’s a really great way to change up your typical virtual dates. Instead of staring at a screen, get outside in the garden, on your balcony, or even get a houseplant as a way to start something that will see growth this year.

It’s a super romantic way to bring special memories into your relationship.

I mailed my fiancé a package of forget-me-not seeds which he planted on his porch outside. Everyday he checked on them and made sure they had enough water and were taken care of. It was so much fun to be apart of the adventure, and he sent me regular updates about their growth.

When I was finally able to visit him, he picked some of the flowers and sweetly tucked them into my hair. It felt like a moment out of a movie. You could also press any flowers between the sheets of a large book and mail them back to your love. Take daily progress pictures and great a video, or any other romantic gesture to let you know you’re thinking of them.

Celebrate your relationship coming out of winter with a bright boost into spring dates.

After all, April showers bring May flowers!

May Online Date: Wine & Paint Night

If you want a fun and romantic date-night for your long-distance relationship, a paint night is the perfect option.

Take a break from the same old LDR date nights and create your own engaging virtual paint night.

Painting together over a video call is a great way to be fully intimate with your partner and keep creativity alive in your relationship. This also makes for online dates that easily can include friends, or accommodate a virtual double-date.

Planning a paint night might seem complicated, but I’m happy to let you know that it can be much simpler than you think!

Supplies: You can purchase a canvas, paint, and paintbrushes at a craft store or dollar store. I suggest also buying an inexpensive plastic tablecloth to easily protect your workspace. I can buy all the supplies I need at my local dollar store for less than $10. While you’re there, pick up some snacks for your evening. If you’re a couple who likes to sip and paint, some wine does wonders to set the mood.

Theme: Each long-distance paint night, my fiancé and I like to set a theme for our pieces so that we have matching art for our homes across the world. We’ve followed online tutorials to paint the same scene, based our art off the same color palette, done pieces themed around one word, video game themed paintings, and have even done art nights with friends where we all show our own style.

Tips & Tricks: Keep it simple, and do a painting that you can finish in an evening. Look up online paint night examples for ideas and inspiration. You can also buy Paint Night Kits, coloring books, or paint by number sets on Etsy and Amazon.

June Online Date: Couples Tasting Night

Every couple has their own unique tastes, and a virtual tasting night is a great way to have a special moment together and explore new things. Whether you’re tasting wine, beer, hot cocoa brands, whiskey, tea, or chocolates; this is a great way to engage all 5 senses with a Virtual Date Night.

You can buy tasting kits or sampler packages for whiskey wine or chocolates; and can even get the same ones if you order them online and plan in advance. Hot cocoa, candy, chocolates or beer are other great options to sample a variety of flavors and generate conversations during a long-distance date. Share your likes, and dislikes together over a romantic video call and use this online date night to learn more about your partner.

Here are a few kits from Amazon for less than $30:

July Online Date: Virtual Cookout Night

Summers spent apart don’t mean that you have to miss out on your favorite foods. Fire up the grill and make some burgers together with your partner. There are so many great grill recipes with summer flavors; why not try a new one together. Have you ever tried barbequed watermelon? Give it a try together and see if you’re a fan! New experiences and familiar favorites are an essential part of a relationship; even a long-distant one.

Even if you don’t have an outdoor grill, you can still enjoy this long-distance online date by cooking indoors with your stove or oven. To bring the BBQ feeling indoors be sure to share a drink together and put on some summer beats.

Spotify has a feature where you can share a music stream together, and it makes for the perfect long-distance dance parties. Some headphones make this feature especially useful if you find your video call is echoing sounds back to you.

August Online Date: Mix Summer Cocktails Together

In the warm summer months, often all we want is a cool drink by the pool, some sunshine, and someone to share it with.

Long-distance couples deserve a relaxing summer too, so set aside an afternoon on a summer weekend to mix up some cocktails to enjoy together virtually.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re making margaritas, mojitos, strawberry daquiris, bellinis, or a pina colada: as long as it’s cold, refreshing and fun to drink!

“Happy Hour” online dates don’t require a lot of prep and is a great way to relax in your summer months. Test your skills to see who is the best mixologist and can make the most impressive beverage or make up your own drinks.

Whatever you do, a paper umbrella and a pair of sunglasses are absolutely necessary to complete the perfect online summer date night vibe.

September Online Date: Take a Course or Class Online Together

When you’re in a long-distance relationship, often a lot of your spare time is occupied by video calls and online interactions. Why not use some of that time productively by taking an online course together?

This could be something that you share an interest in, have always wanted to try, or something just for fun! It may be helpful to ask yourself “What are some hobbies we enjoy together?”

A few great ideas for courses you can take online with a long-distance partner are:

A photography course
Start learning a new language together
Drawing or painting
A baking or cooking class for couples
Sign Language Course
Learn an instrument together

Yoga or Pilates
Astronomy
Gardening
Mixology Course
Creative Writing Class
Chess

October Online Date: Candy and a Scary Movie

This online date-night is super affordable, and a great way to feel close to your partner while apart. All you need are some candy and chocolates, and your favorite scary movie.

I buy my candy at the dollar store, and I make sure to always buy extra of my partner’s favorite chocolates. Even if we aren’t able to be physically together, I can still feel like I’m sharing some of his candy during our virtual date night. If you plan this movie night ahead, you might even be able to send your partner some of your favorite treats in the mail from your area.

When choosing your movie choice for the evening, it might be a good idea to ask your friends for some suggestions. If you’re someone who gets spooked easily while alone, like myself, try to pick something that won’t frighten you too much!

All that’s left is to turn off the lights, light a candle, curl up with a blanket, and hit play on your spooky movie.

November Online Date: Bake Together

We love to bake together, and this is absolutely one of our favorite ways to instantly feel connected. I think this is a great online date night for long distance couples because it engages and connects all 5 of your senses.

You get to see & hear your partner over the video call, feel the warmth of the oven and the texture of the dough, smell the treats while they’re baking, and in the end you both get to taste your delicious rewards.

You may want to bake a cozy pie together, or perhaps a delicious batch of cookies to enjoy all week. If you and your partner are more health oriented, maybe some healthy breakfast muffins so you can share a breakfast together for the week.

Whatever you choose, it may be hard to get the portion control right for just one or two servings. My favorite resource is “Dessert for Two” by Christina Lane. This site has the best small-batch recipes for goodies and treats as well as meals. Definitely check it out if you’re in the mood for something sweet: but small.

December Online Date: Gingerbread House Contest

This is the ultimate festive long-distance online date night! If you can’t spend the holidays together, it’s important to make sure you make time to still spend special moments together, and make some winter memories. For more virtual holiday ideas see this list of Heartwarming Virtual Holiday Ideas.

My partner and I had a blast in December as we set up our own little houses, and they turned out so much better than we expected.

Typically in the past, I’ve always made a house with my closest friends in person, so to replicate this tradition, we decided to make two houses separately over a video call. Honestly was a really great way to spend an afternoon and we’re so glad we did it together.

We’re both a little competitive, so we made it a contest to see who could have the best cozy little ginger house. Dave set up his house imitating the houses in Stardew valley, which is one of our favorite video games to play together. He even added a little farm and a porch out front!

Kaelynn added some colorful clear candy windows by melting some jolly ranchers into her gingerbread. The windows looked especially fun when she put a light through the roof of the house to light up the inside with a soft glow.

In the end, we weren’t sure who won, so we took it to an Instagram vote. It was a close race, but Dave won the approval of his many fans with his architectural mastery of his front steps and entrance

Who do you think should have won? Leave your comments below or Contact us!

12 Perfect Online Dates for a Year of Long-Distance Love